Pigmenting gel coat filler?

[bluedragon]

I've a few small dings and cracks to fill on my deck and coachroof. The GRP is a very light greenish-blue, and looking at the tins of pigment paste that can be used to colour filled polyester or epoxy base, I don't really see a match. I've come up with the idea of having an artist friend mix in small amounts of acrylic artist paint to match the colour. I think the quantities will be so small as to not upset the chemistry of the resin, and it should physically mix-in OK. Has anyone ever tried this or anything similar??

PS - Actually, perhaps it should be oil paint, not acrylic?

 

[William_H]

The pigment sold here for resin is a pure pigment in that it is said to be suitable for epoxy or polyester resin. Makes me wonder what the liquid is. It is only available in about 5 basic colours so mix and match would be difficult. Besides it is surprisingly expensive for a little pot of pigment if you wanted several colours to mix. i don't imagine it is water based but doesn't dry out easily as would be with a solvent base.
I would suggest you get one of those childs water color sets of blocks of dry pigment. I would pulverise the pigment and mix in suitable proportions adding it to the gelcoat as a powder. This is where your artist friend will do well. I wouldn't think that the liquid of acrylic paint would mix so well with resin. perhaps the oil in oil paint would mix better. certainly test before you apply to the boat.
I hope you can get a really goo0d definitive answer to this question cos I really don't know. good luck will

 

[bryantee]

Just touched up the dings on the Rival which is a Greeny Grey by mixing a black colourant into the gelcoat.worried at first as it dried to a deeper grey and the parrafin wax looked shiny.but on rubbing back it was nearly a perfect match.
experiment on a small area ,if you get it wrong you can always sand back and try again.I used plastiquecote gelcoat and their colourant.about €18 for the lot.
good luck

 

[Boathook]

A company in Poole called Poole Glass Fibre Centre do a range called Blue Gee with various colour pigments. Local chandlers seem to stock the products or can obtain them.

Poole Glassfibre Centre, Blue Gee Products
Address: Davis's Boatyard, Cobbs Quay, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4EJ UK

Tel: +44 (0)1202 676612
Fax: +44 (0)1202 665209